Square: the great equalizer
Point of sale, from anywhere.
Per usual, Triumph received no financial compensation from Square for writing this article. Straight from the heart, baby.
So, your new adventure involves selling stuff, eh? Well, we think that’s just great, and whether you’re slinging waffles in a new food truck or exquisite artwork from your garage studio, we have the perfect service solution for you. You have probably already seen them in action, if you ever leave your house (or that waffle truck). Today we’ll be diving into Square, a market leader in mobile point-of-sale services for small and medium self-starters. As our clients usually fall in one of those two categories, we have a lot of experience working with square—and have subsequently become big fans.
What is point of sale service? Asking for a friend
Point of sale, or for the lazier among us “POS,” is simply the system on which a sales transaction is executed. For example, when you pay at most restaurants, the server will take your cash or credit card and ring in the bill at a machine—a point of sale machine. These systems allow business to track transactions, receipts, inventory, and the like.
If your business sells online, chances are your website came with some sort of POS software (usually via Stripe or Paypal). However, things can get tricky when you move to in-person payments. Thankfully, in-person is where Square thrives, and your new venture won’t have to worry about investing in some super fancy (French for expensive) POS system. Square offers all the functionality you’ll need with no upfront costs. That’s right, Square charges no initial or monthly fee—our favorite price point.
Interested in hearing more? Fantastic—we’d be happy to oblige.
Why are we talking about a shape
For those readers unfamiliar with Square, they are best known for their mobile credit card readers and technology, allowing users to turn their phone into a sophisticated POS station from anywhere. After downloading the app and creating a free account, your new adventure will be able to sign in on any device, hook up the credit card reader attachment, and start logging sales.
What if I don’t have an iPhone?
If you’re that person breaking all the group chats and turning everyone’s message bubbles green, fear not—Square will also work for you. The company’s app is available for IOS and Android. Additionally, Square also offers two versions of the mobile credit card attachment: one for lightning connections (iPhone) and the other for audio jacks (not iPhone). Regardless of what hardware your phone brings to the table, one of those should fit. We hope. If not, we’re a little concerned for you.
Oh, and did we mention that credit card attachment is free? Square sends each new user their first mobile attachment free of charge. Additional attachments, along with more advanced hardware (receipt printers, larger check-out stations, etc.), are also available on their website for an up-charge.
What if I work in the boonies?
No cell service? No problem. Square also allows users to charge clients while offline, either through invoices or by manually entering card numbers. Whenever you get back to civilization, you’ll be able to put the charges through and get paid.
What if I don’t have a receipt printer?
That’s a valid question—most people probably don’t have one just sitting around. Fret not, you have multiple options. You can purchase of one Square’s aforementioned additional hardware offerings to print receipts remotely, or, you can take the paperless route, and have Square text or email receipts to your customers.
I assume I’ll have to pay for something at somepoint?
You would be correct. There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but Square offers one heck of an affordable meal. As we gloated about before, you’ll pay nothing up front and no monthly fees. Instead, Square charges 2.6% + 10¢ per swipe for Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. That’s an extremely competitive rate, and you can get your money as fast as the next business day.
An additional recommendation
While purchasing this wonder of modern engineering is by no means required when first starting out, we do advise clients to consider investing in a Square Terminal as their venture grows. In addition to being fun to say, Square Terminals give users a slightly more advanced POS system at a reasonable price. Customers can tap, dip, or swipe their card on the terminal, and, in addition to running credit card transactions, the machine will also print receipts. Nifty—we know—and very affordably priced. The highly mobile POS charge and printing station is available for $299 from the Square website. Want to see it in action? Check out the video below:
How swell.
Thus concludes our lesson in shapes
Thankfully, on-the-go adventures no longer need to track transactions by hand. Square put professional grade POS technology in your pocket, and allows you to bring home the bacon regardless of where you cook it up. The company’s pay-per-swipe business model is also ideal for the new venture with tight margins. Only pay when you sell—it’s hard to argue with that business model.
If you’re feeling like Square may be the shape for you, you can check them out right here.
As always, feel free to Ask Triumph with any additional questions and consider Supporting the Team.
All views expressed in the article are opinions of the author and should not be misconstrued as professional consulting or legal advice. Users are responsible for verifying all information before taking action, and Triumph Group LLC is not responsible for any outcomes. Pursue subjects at your own risk. Seriously, man. It’s your life.
